Synchronized pulse generator



y 1950 R. E. MOE

SYNCHRONIZED PULSE GENERATOR Original Filed Sept. 28, 1942 Fig. I.

Invefitor: Robert E. Moe

His Attorne Patented July 4, 1950 jUiNlTE' o STATES TENT" QF E E SYNCHRONIZED PULSE GENERATOR Robert E. Moe, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Original application September 28, 1942, Serial No. 459,894. Divided and this application May 16, 1945, Serial No. 594,090 i 1 Claim. (Cl. 250-2 7) multivibrator by the interelectrode spaces within the discharge devices employed.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide a multivibrator to which synchronizing pulses of either positive or negative polarity may be ap- "plied without adversely aifecting the action of the multivibrator even though such pulses be supplied from low impedance circuits.

My present application is a division of 'my application, Serial No. 459,894, now Patent 2,414,323, granted January 14', 1947, filed September 28, 1942, and entitled Cathode Ray Apparatus and which is assigned to the assignee of my present pplication. 1

I The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following descripspace to a remote object 52, such, for example,

as a remote aircraft, or other reflector of radiant energy, whereby they are reflected back to a receiving antenna i3 of a pulse receiver M associated with the transmitter.

Of course, the outgoing radio frequency pulses which are indicated at l5 in Fig. l are received directly from the radiator H with greater intensity than the echoes thereof are received. Thus in the receiver the radiated pulses l5 and various echoes 16 thereof appear as indicated in Fig. 1.

These pulses are, of course. amplified and rectifiedand supplied over a conductor ii to one of the vertical deflection plates l3 of a cathode ray device l9..

This cathode ray device may have a viewing .bias on the resistance 3.

screen'indicated by the circle 20 upon which the outgoing pulses I5 and the various echoes it are caused to appear producing an indication such as that represented in Fig. 1 in the circle 20. i

.The cathode ray of the cathode ray device I9 is deflected horizontally across the scale thereof by means of deflection voltage applied between its horizontal deflection plates 2! from the output of an electron discharge device 8, the latter of which is controlled by the multivibrat or of my present invention comprising discharge de-' vices l and 2. These discharge devices have'thei'r cathodes connected together and through a resistance 3 to ground. Their anodes are connected through individual resistors 22 and 23to the positive side of the source of operating potential. This source of operating potential is indicated by plus and minus signs at the right hand side of the drawing, and is shunted by a potentiometer resistance 24. The discharge devices'land 2 are each provided with a control electrode, each of which is connected to ground through a respective resistance 25 and 26. Condenser 27 is connected between the anode of the device I and the control electrode of the device 2 and cooperates with resistances 22 and 26 to determine the duration of the successive periods in the cyclic operation ofthe generator comprising devices I and 2. This generator is synchronized with the radiated pulses-by means of positive unidirectional pulses generated in the transmitter Ifl simultaneously with the radiated pulses which are supplied through switch 28, condenser 29 and resistance 3|] to the cathodes of the two devices I and 2. v

The operation of this generator comprising discharge devices I and 2 and also the device 8 may best be explained by referring to the curves ofFig.2. 1' Let us consider this generator at a period in its operationwhen the discharge device I is conducting. This device passes current through resistance 22 and resistance 3, the bias on resistance 3 being sufficient to prevent the flow of anode current in the device 2. If now a positive pulse, such as those indicated at 10 in Fig. 2', be received from transmitter I0 through elements 28, 29 and 30 upon the cathodes of the two devices, it tends to reduce the anode current in the device I. This reduction in anode current, of course, reduces the bias on device 2 and'increases the anode potential on device l the latter of which is reflected in a more positive potential on the control electrode of device 2. Device '12 thus-starts to pass current, producing increased This increased bias immediately interrupts the flow of anodecurrent in the device I. The potential on the anode of in its. anode volta e.

device I does not immediately rise but is delayed in its rise by reason of the time required for condenser 21 to, charge. The. result i that the potential on the anodeqr device I; risesin' accord ance with the rising portions 3! of the curve cm of Fig. 2.

The charging current in condenser 21, however, rises immediately to its largest; value, this.

current flowing through resistance 2 6 and pro.-

ducing a positive bias on the grid, of discharge v device 2. This positive bias at its largest value is indicated at 32 in the curve egzof Fig 2. Of course, as the condenser charges its charging current gradually diminishes in accordance with the slope 33 of the curve egz. The discharge device 2, however, is conducting during this, period, its anode current gradually reducing. Its anode potential, radua -1y r e rom t o r d, va ue accordance withthe p rtions 3;4.of thecurve 622 nden er- 2 final c m s ha g o, su h anoint, and the anode. current in device. 2; is

sefliti lst r d c d. t mi d vi I. a a to in s ne seasain a se he, device o be me condu ing. aspreviou l d scrib d, a d he c cle of p a i s p at d.

fhenl te te tie .e h de cehus. rie e d ee lra ord nc wi h the urv -e1. of ma Thi po en a is. u p i d; hr u h the condenser 31th. t e. cont el el ctr eq ele tron schar e de e tw r it pro ces a an tion. mvoltace. ndi ated; y he u ve. 08 QE-L e- T isou e va es n. hap mew t om the CHI-ve- 8222 by, reason of; thedifferentiating a tion f? the onde se 33;; w h. large capaci ance. However, when the v lta n he ridof s harge devi e 8 is. driven. nega ve. its anode current is interrupted, producing a, rise The rate: of rise of-"this anode.- voltage is determined by .the capacity of a, condenser 3,8; which is. connected betweenthe anode and cathode of this device through aselector'switch A I-s. This switch is, arranged. to beipositioned in any of: threepositions. tov connectbeitween, the anodeeandcathode any: of three. condensers w, 39:, orlflshaving different capacities. Thus. the voltage on the anode; may be. made at any.- one of three rates.- as indicatedby required for a pulse to travel to a remote object 75 miles away and return, and, similarly, if condensers v lllbeincludedin thecircuihthe ray is deflected across the screen more slowly and in a time required for the pulse to travel to a remote object 375 miles away and return. Thus the switch 40 determines the range of the equipment, and the slopes 42, 43 and 44 of the curve em in. Big. 2 bear the legends miles, "75 miles and. 37.5 miles, respectively, corresponding to the ranges ofv the. equipment which may be determined by the switch 40.

It is desirablein the operation of equipment such, as, that. described that means be provided to produce an indication upon the cathode ray screento identify a particular echo, for example, which is indicated thereon. For this purpose h distharee. de ice. unattended. 'lh o age. the. anode Qt, d ce 8. u p ed o he control electrode ofv this device and, its cathode is connected through, a resistance Q.6,.to avariable co t t 4.1 o he'p t n iomet r si t nc 2. the anode. potential of device 8, is at. its lowest value, device. 45. is noneconducting by rea: son of the positive potential supplied. to its cathode from. resistance 24.. However,- as the voltage rises in accordance, with the slopes, .3 and M of, curvecpa, a point is, reached where device 45. becomesv conducting-and; produces. a.

volta e onresistance 4.6. This voltage-is supplied to an amplifier limiter 48- whereby.- it is limited to fixed value and thence to the, lower anodewlilof; the. vertical deflection plates of the cathoderay tube. This potential producesthe vertical deflection. 49 shown in U 6 circle 2,-0. on

the cathode ray oscillograph; thatis, the cathode ray is deflectedacross the screen horizontallyw a, point. where it is suddenly. deflected downwardly and .then afterwards proceeds horizontally in its, course across the screen. This deflection 49,- may becaused to appear; at any desired-point theslopes 42, $3 and 4.4. of thecurvee-pa. in Fig. I

travelto a remote object-- 15 miles away and reu conde s 39. 18 n t. h a i deflected across the viewing screen in the time in thehorizontal trace across the screen of the oscillograph by varying the contact, 4], thus changing thepeint in-therise in anode voltage of device- 8; wl ,ere device 45 becomes conducting. Thus; e efieeti nfitmaye s t o dm q incide with the indication of any echoto be i enti an a t cu a ly ob r he qu pm n fl.compr es blank h qu m eat o in er p th oi e. a de. my de ce at m s other. han d r n h o w r race-ac oss he; f uores en c ent is su p ed with e an e ta s. of e e, lan esponds tosupply negative pulses to the controlelectrode i0;- of the, cathode ray device, each pul e being su fi ie ly long to int pt h a hodeay d ing the entire ti-mejbetween completionot one forward trace and-initiation of thenext. Switch 5 inthis equipment isunicontrolled wi h. switch M and operatesto effect suitablevariation in, the duration of: these negativepulses to accommodate the different durations of the forwardtraqe.

The. high voltage. for operating the cathoderay device is supplied from a sourceof alternating.

anode may be varied by varying the contact 58 equipment such as that described to provide means for operation of the equipment when the transmitter I0 is not in operation and therefore when the synchronizing pulses from the transmitter I0 are not available. To this end, means are provided whereby synchronizing pulses are derived from the rectifier 53. Of course, as is well understood in the operation of peak rectifiers of the type here described, a brief pulse of current flows in the diode 53 at the peak of each alternate half cycle of the wave from the alternating source 52. Thus a brief pulse of current flows in the diode 53 and through resistors 54 and 55 at a frequency Of 60 cycles per second, these being the brief pulses of current which restore the charge in the smoothing condenser 51, which leaks off through resistance 56 during the intermediate periods, this phenomena resulting in the familiar ripple or hum voltage which occurs on such smoothing condensers. To derive corresponding pulses for the synchronizing of the generator I, 2, the resistance 6| and condenser 6| are connected across the output of the rectifier. These pulses of current thus also fiow in resistance 6|. The intermediate point between resistance 61 and condenser 6| is arranged to be connected through a switch 62 to the control electrode of device I. The switch 62 is arranged to be unicontrolled with the switch 28 so that it is open when the switch 28 is closed or closed when the switch 28 is open. Thus if the transmitter I0 be not in operation, switches 28 and 62 may be operated to their lower position, in which case synchronizing pulses are derived from the resistance 6| and supplied to the control electrode of the discharged device I. These pulses control the time when the discharge device 1 becomes nonconducting just as did the positive pulses applied to the cathode of the device. The pulses derived from the transmitter may be such as those indicated at in Fig. 2 and are of positive polarity, whereas those derived from resistance 6| are represented at 1| in Fig. 2 and are of negative polarity.

The circuit of the generator I, 2 is particularly advantageous for such synchronization because its timing circuit, namely, the circuit 22, 21, 26, is isolated from these synchronizing circuits, including the switches 28 and 62, and thus the low impedances of these synchronizing circuits do not affect the time constant of the timing circuit 22, 21, 26. That is, as previously explained, the charging period of condenser 21 is determined by the resistances 22 and 25, this determining the duration of the negative pulses supplied to the grid of discharge device 8. The discharge period of the condenser 21 is controlled by resistance 26 since device I during this period is of very low impedance. This determines the duration of the positive pulse applied to the control electrode of device 8. This circuit 26, 21, 22, however, is isolated from the impedance of the synchronizing circuits and thus the time constant thereof is totally unaffected by the impedance of the synchronizing circuits. This is important because the impedance of these synchronizing circuits may be very low, for example, the resistance of resistance 61 may be of the order of 1,000 ohms, resistance 12 of the order of ohms, and the resistance 30 of the order of 1,000 ohms, these values being such that they would materially affect the time constant of the timing circuit were it not for the fact that these circuits are isolated from the timing circuit by the space paths in the discharge devices I and 2.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since various modifications both in the circuit arrangement and in the instrumentalities employed may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I contemplate by the appended claim, however, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A single-pulse generator comprising first and second electron discharge devices in cascade, each having a corresponding anode, cathode and control electrode, a source of operating potential having a positive pole connected through first and second resistors to said first and second anodes respectively and having a negative pole connected through a third common resistor to both said cathodes, means comprising said three resistors and a fourth resistor connected from said first control electrode to said negative pole for normally maintaining said first device conductive and said second device non-conductive, a pulse timing network serially comprising said first resistor, a capacitor connected from said first anode to said second control electrode and a fifth resistor connected from said second control electrode to said negative pole, the time constant of said network determining the rate of charge of said capacitor from said source, and selectively operable means to impress either short negative synchronizing pulses on said first control electrode or short positive synchronizing pulses on said cathodes, said pulses each having sufficient magnitude momentarily to reverse said conditions of conductivity for a time interval determined by said time constant, said network being effectively isolated from said last means by the anode-cathode paths of said devices.

ROBERT E. MOE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,050,059 Koch Aug. 4, 1936 2,185,363 White Jan. 2, 1940 2,193,850 Andrieu et a1. Mar. 19, 1940 2,262,838 Deloraine et a1 Nov. 18, 1941 2,272,070 Reeves Feb. 3, 1942 2,390,608 Miller et a1 Dec. 11, 1945 2,405,287 Ruhlig Aug. 6, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 552,301 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1943 OTHER REFERENCES A Thermionic Trigger, Otto I-I. Schmitt; Journal of Scientific Instruments (1938), vol. 15. 

